Magic Knight Rayearth 1: Book 1

Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are your average Tokyo school girls. That is until they are suddenly whisked away from a field trip at Tokyo Tower to the magical land of Cephiro. Planted in the midst of a strange new setting, the only clue the trio has to their sudden appearance is a voice telling them the Legendary Magic Knights must save my world.

It isnt long before the girls find out that they are the Magic Knights, who are only summoned to Cephiro in times of great need. The ruler of the land, Princess Emeraude, has been kidnapped by the evil priest Zagato. As if that werent bad enough, a magician named Clef tells the girls that Cephiro is held together by the strength of Emeraudes prayers alone. If she is not found quickly, the land will cease to exist. The girls must awaken the Mashin and become the Legendary Magic Knights before Cephiro disappears forever.

There is a lot more to the plot, but if I say too much more here, Ill give away the ending of the first book. It tends to be a typical introductory manga novel, where a lot of the book is taken up by establishment of character, setting, and plot. Despite this unfortunate fact, the book is still worth the effort. Filled with CLAMPs trademark artwork and wonderful characters, this is a rousing start to a great series. Every detail is beautifully executed, with breathtaking results any manga fan will appreciate. Dont be turned off by the seemingly generic storyline. Although it seems like a been there, read that sort of book, it really isnt. Besides, the art alone is a good enough reason to read it.

And if you enjoy it (which Im sure you will) make sure you have Book 2 and Book 3 handy. This is not a series where you will want to wait to see what happens.